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.2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. Reading much differently from its English processed translations, the original Hebrew text of the second verse of the first chapter of the Book of Leviticus presents interesting messianic insights. I do not believe that the English misreading is due to any conspiratory voluntary malefic action, but rather to a reading with an already established theology. We must also realize that a translation always carries the bias of the translator; it is merely a commentary in another language. I heard it said one time that reading the Bible through a translation is like kissing a bride through a veil! The usual translations of the verse read something to the effect of: “When any one of you brings an offering to ADONAI … (Lev. 1:2), but a more literal translation of the text would read, (my translation) “When a man from among you (you: 2nd person plural) desires to come near Me with n offering …” The word for ‘man’ is adam אדם, the same as the name of the first man Adam. This did not pass the attention of Chassidic teacher Rabbi Schneur Zalman. In 1812 The Rabbi suggested a deeper meaning in the verse; he came to the messianic conclusion of the existence of a supernatural/spiritual Adam who approaches Hashem on the behalf of Israel. Based on the vision of Ezekiel in which he saw ‘a figure with the appearance of an Adam, Jewish teachings sometime offer the idea of a heavenly Adam; it is to this spiritual Adam the Rabbi refers to. This may sound far-fetched, but only until we read Paul teaching along the same lines in. The Apostle says, "The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven" (1 Cor. 15:47). Understanding that everything on earth was created after an heavenly pattern, we understand that Paul’s accounting of first and second does not refer to importance, but only to the chronology of this Adam’s earthly manifestations. The Rabbi was right. Israel does have an Adam, who approaches Hashem on our behalf, and who "lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:25 referring to Isaiah 53:12). He is our burnt offering in Hebrew called olah עולה or ‘he that ascends’, an image of a total submission and consumption in God and ascending to him (Lev. 1:3; Matt. 26:39; John 3:13-15). He is our grain offering (Lev. 2:2; Matt. 26:26); our peace offering which is an image of communion and fellowship with Hashem through a meal (Lev. 3:1; John 14:27; Rev. 19:9). He also is our sin offering for involuntary sins (Lev. 4:2; 2 Cor. 5:21 (the word for sin in Hebrew or Greek also means: sin offering); Heb. 9:28); and our guilt offering ((Lev. 5:19; Isa. 53: 10-11). In studying the eternal offering ordinances in the Book of Leviticus, we learn about Yeshua’s eternal intercessory role in our lives. It is one and the same thing, and since He completes them (Matthew 5:17), if the offerings become obsolete as some teach, Yeshua also becomes obsolete, God forbid! May we always be granted to confidently approach Hashem through him who is our eternal intercessory offering, in a spirit of submission and humility, in full knowledge of our sin, and personal unworthiness.
1 Comment
Hebrews 7:25
He always lives to make intercession for them. Contrary to what is commonly assumed, the five offerings described in the beginning of the Book of Leviticus are not meant for sin atonement. While some of them portray acknowledgment and confession of sin, others are simply statements of thankfulness, gratefulness, praise, and dedication. The main atonement offering in the Levitical system is what is called the 'Tamid', the daily perpetual morning and evening offering (Leviticus 6:8-13). Like two book ends, the 'Tamid' opened the day's offerings, and closed it. These two offerings are the foundation of the two main prayer services in the Temple, and are still today the origins of synagogue services. When Luke in the Book of Acts mentions, And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes … (Acts 2:46), he says that the disciples attended these services based around a lamb offering. Peter and John are also mentioned going to the temple’s evening service (Acts 3:1). This teaches us that the disciples continued to attend Temple services and liturgies after Yeshua’s resurrection. The two lambs offered one in the morning and one in the evening provided a continual 'lamb' presence on the altar before God. Those who did not come to the Temple prayed in synchronicity in their homes facing Jerusalem. It is important now to notice that at His last Passover on earth, our Master was nailed to the cross at the very time the priests were offering the morning offering. Then all day while Yeshua was on the cross, throngs of locals and pilgrims offered their Passover lambs. The Mishnah records that at the end of the ordeal towards mid-afternoon, the High-priest who worked hard in the hot Jerusalem sun says, 'I thirst', and is offered a drink. He then exclaims, 'it is finished'. Our Master concurred these very words while on the cross then remitted His Spirit to His Father at the very time of the evening offering that closed the day's services (Mark 15:25,33,34). On that evening, as Yeshua was put in the tomb just before dusk, Jewish families put their striped and pieced unleavened breads in ovens. The Tamid is therefore a perfect picture of the text in the Letter sent to the Messianic believers of Jerusalem, Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them (Hebrews 7:25). Yeshua truly stands at the right hand of the Father always ready to intercede for us because, The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working (James 5:16). |
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